The subject invention relates to those types of devices that are used to scoop up litter and debris strewn over the ground or on a floor. Such devices are used primarily for the purpose of assisting a person clearing debris from the ground or a floor, for example, so as to avoid the unpleasant task of bending over and manually retrieving particular types of debris for placement in a container for ultimate disposal. Such devices are used frequently for the purpose of scooping up animal waste and debris.
In this respect, there are several devices that are presently in existence adapted specifically for the task of assisting in the process of retrieving litter and debris from the ground or floor areas. Some structures comprise a simplistic structural arrangement that permits a manual scooping action to pick up debris, often requiring the assistance of an external aid to push the debris into a holding container. Other devices have evolved into more sophisticated structures.
Many such devices have been used and are presently being utilized particularly for retrieving animal waste from the ground area. Many of these devices employ simple scooping members that require multiple manual movements to accomplish the necessary waste clearing tasks. Some employ attached fixed containers while others use temporary containers. Such existing devices have proven to be cumbersome to use and thus inefficient for the intended purpose.
Moreover, one of the major problems with such existing debris collectors is that they are generally adapted, designed and structured to collect debris in a container that must be repeatedly or frequently cleaned after usage. This latter aspect is particularly applicable in collecting devices structured and used for gathering animal debris, especially animal excrement. Repeated cleaning of such collection devices is essential for sanitation purposes and this is not only unpleasant and unsanitary, it is also inefficient.
Yet another problem is experienced with the use of most debris-collectors, namely, the need to have an external member to pull or push the ground-laden debris into a container member on the collector. Use of such an external member is also cumbersome and make the overall structure awkward and inefficient to use.
There are other characteristics of existing debris collecting devices that yield difficulties and inefficiencies with their usage. These characteristics related to efficiency, sanitation aspects, ease of carrying, debris disposability problems and other adverse aspects.
Yet another aspect involving existing devices of the type that precede the subject apparatus is that such devices are complex in structure and thus expensive to manufacture or assemble. Moreover, such complex structures are generally difficult to utilize and deploy.
By reason of the stated problems, difficulty and lack of efficiency of the debris collection devices seen in the prior and existing art, the subject device has been conceived as a structural means to overcome same and provide a more effective device in the area of debris collection, and most particularly in the area of collecting animal excrement. As a result, the following objects of the subject invention are directed accordingly.